


Sear Through Me

by Carerra_os



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, Billy dies at Starcon but Steve brings him right back, Canon-Typical Violence, M/M, Magical Bond, Not Beta Read, Steve Harrington Has Bad Parents, Violence, brief mentions of past abuse, little bit of canon rewrite, magical Billy Hargrove, magical Steve Harrington, magical marking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-12
Updated: 2020-02-12
Packaged: 2021-02-19 08:41:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22674955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Carerra_os/pseuds/Carerra_os
Summary: Billy is an asshole with magic, the upside down latches onto him, and he is an unwilling puppet. When he faces the mind flyer at Starcourt he knows he is going to die. Steve doesn't let him.-Billy wakes with a gasp eyes bright, burning with magic that is not his as it rips through his flesh, his bone, his very soul, branding him as it cleanses. Steve is hunched over him, eyes shining and skin glowing as he funnels magic through Billy healing him. Steve, normal unassuming, Steve is healing him with magic, he has magic, Billy would be ravenous with lust for him if he wasn't in shock over not being dead.
Relationships: Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington
Comments: 8
Kudos: 230
Collections: Harringrove Week of Love





	Sear Through Me

**Sear Through Me**

Billy knows something is off in Hawkins as soon as they cross the town line. There is a barrier of magic, keeping whatever rot this town contains from escaping into the surrounding world. As soon as they cross the town line a chill runs through him and the vellus hairs on his arms stand on end, it is a bad sign.

So much for a quiet town for them to settle and hide in. Billy let Susan choose, she offered to take him with her when she took Max and left Neil. It clearly was a mistake, because he never would have chosen this backwater town, meaning he would not have to deal with the taint of this place, if only he had chosen instead, or better yet just never left California.

He is away from mundane violent Neil though and anywhere is better than where he was if it means no Neil. Billy still has a lot of pent up anger and issues from the abuse he has suffered at Neil’s hands locked away and he does not always take it out in the best of ways. He lets his magic pour off of him hostile and leaking, a clear show of power. He has not found any other witches yet but he cannot be missed, even the normals can sense he is a force to be reckoned with.

Billy set his sights on Steve during their first meeting, he is pretty, the prettiest boy Billy has ever seen and he wants. Billy does not normally mess with normals though and Steve is as normal as they come, no magic or anything supernatural about him, just cloying normalcy, it is disappointing. Billy has never fucked around with run of the mill humans, and he is not about to start now.

That does not stop his attraction though, it just grows with each day and Billy cannot stand it, so he does what he does best. Does whatever he can to get under Steve's skin, will not leave him alone, teasing and touching, an intimate form of bullying that is closer to an immature mating dance. Billy just cannot seem to help himself.

Billy is drawn and it annoys him, so much so that he pushes at Steve’s boundaries every chance he gets. The magic leaking off of him makes sure any marks he accidentally leaves on Steve's skin heal slow or not at all. The first time it is an accident, he does not even realize he has done it until two weeks have gone by and the bruise in the shape of Billy's hand on Steve's elbow still has not healed. Billy likes the idea of Steve being marked by him, like a brand, he never goes so far as to leave intentional ones, Steve just bruises so easily, he is seldom without a mark from Billy.

Max seems to be enjoying their new town, barely has any magic in her so she cannot quite feel the taint of this town. She is making friends at least, some nerds that Billy occasionally sees hanging around Harrington. Billy might have almost run them down, both to irritate Max and to see if Steve will do anything.

It has no effect on Steve and Billy knows he has been told, overheard Steve's gaggle of children huddling around him complaining. Steve had only shrugged and said the same as Max "He's an asshole, just stay away from him." Billy hates how much Steve insists on ignoring him, how he acts like he does not notice Billy when Billy does not have his hands on him.

Billy burns every time Steve ignores him, wants Steve's singular focus on him. Billy does not know what it is about Steve that calls to him, and it drives him crazy. The more Steve persists on acting like Billy is nothing, the more Billy’s magic tries to reach for him, it is infuriating, it is like his magic is trying to drag Steve in for him and that has never happened before.

Max starts acting weird right after Halloween, keeps disappearing, and keeps coming in late. Billy knows she is hanging out with Harrington's pet nerds, knows she has a crush on that Sinclair kid. It rankles when her disappearing act starts interfering with his plans.

Max does not come home for dinner and while that is not a cause for alarm, it is pushing seven, the sun is going down, and Susan is getting worried. It agitates Billy too, with all the taint that he cannot pinpoint the source of, Max might not be attuned but that does not mean something has not honed in on her. So when Susan asks him to go look for Max he does not protest but that does not mean he is not still pissed about it.

He is supposed to be at a party, supposed to be hooking up with some random girl who is wet for him. It is a chance to get his mind off of Steve's pretty face and the rot that seems to be seeping in from all sides in this town. Billy doubts it will work, nothing keeps his mind off of Steve for long even when he is getting his dick wet.

Billy searches all of Max's usual haunts, which are not many, Hawkins does not have a lot to offer. He moves on to her friends’ houses, checks all the ones he knows of, the ones he has been to before. He gets a new lead on where to check from Mrs. Wheeler who always looks at him like he is God's gift to womankind. Billy does like being the center of attention and eggs her on a little before he has to focus on finding Max again.

The Byers house is set back in the woods, farther from town than the rest of Max's little friends. The closer he gets to the house the more he can feel Max, she feels fine but Billy is beyond annoyed with all the trouble she has put him through. It does not help that that rot that never leaves the air in Hawkins is heavier here, thick and cloying, another magical barrier is here, thin and brittle trying to keep something at bay, something worse than the rot. 

Billy is distracted from the rot and the barrier, annoyance breaking when he gets to the house and finds pretty boy Steve Harrington. Anger hot and heavy rises up within him when Harrington stands in the way of his goal, Billy sees red when Steve out and out lies to him about Max. Billy can feel her, can pinpoint her exact whereabouts in the house this close, and yet Steve persists that she is not here. Billy can fucking see her hair in the window and still Steve persists in keeping up the ruse. 

Billy has felt plenty of anger in his life but nothing quite compares to this. That rot that is never not lingering wraps around him, seeps into his magic, into his very being, his emotions rise, raging, a volatile sea. Steve is in his way, is standing between him and the reason he is out here instead of at a party blowing off steam. 

Billy lashes out taking his pent up aggression from his past abuse and everything else that has been eating at him these last few months on Steve. That rot wraps around him like a blanket dulling his senses from just how far he is going. Billy lets his magic coat his fists, wants to leave Steve's pretty face marked up, wants it to never heal, wants Steve to break under him, to heel.

Billy is distantly aware that he is hitting Steve too hard, that he should not be using magic when hitting a mundane human, but that does not stop him. He enjoys the feel of Steve’s skin breaking under his fists, of the spray of blood that comes up. Billy cannot seem to stop, the rot seeping in washing away any thoughts of stopping, leaving behind the parts that think Steve looks even better covered in blood. The part that just wants to break Steve beyond repair.

Max catches him by surprise with a needle full of something, whatever it is it makes him woozy and he tumbles off of Steve. He vaguely hears her threatening him, nods his head when appropriate more to get her to stop talking than actively paying attention to her words. Promises to leave them all alone when she brandishes a bat with nails hammered into it, narrowly missing hitting Billy in the dick when she brings it down. He watches through half hooded eyes as the kids work together to gather up Steve and disappear out of the house. All he is left with is the image of Steve's torn bloody face and the rot curling around him making itself at home.

Billy does not have the rot dulling his senses and heightening his rage when he wakes up on the floor of the Byers hallway. It is still there wrapped around him, curled tight around his magic, but it has gone quiet. Billy feels a tingle of remorse try and break through, but he ignores it, Steve had gotten between him and his goal. He tries not to think about how broken Steve looked, how elated and invigorated he had felt with that rage bubbling over.

Billy is pissed and confused to find his car missing, he knows Steve could not have possibly driven with the way the kids had to carry him out. Feels that rot and rage trying to boil back up but there is no one around to take it out on. Billy lashes out at a couple of trees, feels a little more at ease as he sees the destruction, it settles the rot. It is a long walk home plenty of time to fully cool off.

Max does not look at him without glaring anymore, and Billy just cannot find it in himself to care that she is angry. He went there to find her, to make sure she was safe and he will not apologize. Even if he feels like he went too far, took a rage out on Steve that was out of his control, could not stop himself, wanted to take it further. It does not matter because Billy does not apologize, certainly not with words. 

So what if after a week of the cold shoulder he gets her a new skateboard, it is not like it means anything he still is not sorry. Max is still glaring him down most of the time but she is not being actively hostile at least. The same cannot be said for Wheeler and Byers, but Billy does not care about them at all so he just sneers in return.

Steve does not show up on Monday, or Tuesday, in fact he misses the entire week and Billy feels his stomach churn and churn, as that rot curls tighter around him. When Steve finally does show up halfway through the following week, the sour feeling in his gut shifts like the rolling sea as guilt washes over him. 

Billy has spent every day without Steve showing up thinking of the last time he saw his face, broken and bloody by Billy's own hands. He could describe it in excruciating detail for any who might ask, if he was so inclined. Steve looks nearly identical to that night, a little less bloody, a little more swollen, like Billy had just beaten his face in this morning.

Steve's wounds have not healed at all, brought to an absolute halt by Billy's magic. It is painful to look at, it makes the guilt in Billy's stomach roll every time he spies Steve in the halls. Steve winces with every move, has probably tried everything he can think of to help his aches and pain along but no normal human means can stand up to Billy's magic.

Billy has never felt guilt so strong in his life, almost thinks about trying to apologize, about trying to mend the fence. Every time he opens his mouth to say something the words choke off and that rot twists and instead he is insulting Steve. Steve tries to avoid him, he does not let Billy get too close after the first failed attempt between classes.

Steve cannot avoid Billy during gym though, and Billy takes the opportunity to apologize in the only way he knows how. It is a struggle fighting down the rot curling tightly around his magic. It nearly takes the entirety of the period before he is able to gather enough magic to make sure Steve's wounds will heal. Billy is pressed right up against Steve, practically grinding his dick against Steve's backside when he forces his magic into Steve.

Steve startles, gasping as Billy's magic sears through him eradicating the magic keeping Steve from healing. Billy thinks maybe he used too much, Steve should not have noticed it at all. Billy is having trouble controlling his magic though, it is a struggle to do anything that does not cause harm and destruction since the rot set in, so it cannot be helped. 

Steve is looking at Billy with those wide bambi eyes that make Billy feel things. Billy shoves past him hard, nearly sending Steve sprawling but one of his teammates manages to catch him before he can crash to the ground. Billy fights the urge to unleash his magic on the unsuspecting jock, Billy does not like him touching Steve. Billy forces himself to ignore it continuing on to the locker room, he does not even both rinsing, he cannot bear to be faced with the damage he has left all over Steve, and he does not want more to haunt him. 

  
  


After Billy breaks the magic keeping Steve inert he heals up nicely. It looks better and better, you almost cannot tell Steve was beaten unconscious. Except there is one reminder, there is a scar just shy of Steve’s hairline where Billy branded him for life with a breaking dinner plate.

Most of the time that rot stays stagnant and unmoving wound tight around Billy. Anytime he sees Steve though it feels like it wants to rise up, it wants to lash out and wrap around Steve, so Billy avoids being near him as much as possible. 

Billy keeps his distance but his eyes are always trailing after Steve, watching, wanting. The rest of the school year speeds by uneventfully. It is all a blur of boring nights, drinking too much, parties, and trying to forget about Steve Harrington.

When summer rolls around Billy finds the perfect job, well, as close as he can find in Hawkins, working at the public pool. It means less time around Max and Susan and with that rot settled in his veins he needs as much time away from them as he can get. Sometimes when they are around, not even doing anything to annoy Billy, it feels like that rot is trying to lash out. Like it wants to wrap around them too and swallow all of them whole.

Working at the pool is a distraction. Billy is never without attention and while he really only desires one person's attention, he will take what he can get. It all feels hollow, it is not what he really wants, he wants a pretty boy he once cracked a plate on, but he still eats it up. 

He plays it up, his role as King of Hawkins, gives the people exactly what they expect. He shows off his body, hits on every single woman he comes across, is a general asshole. He gets laid a lot, there is no shortage of women in Hawkins who want a piece of him. So he flirts and he fucks them all while wishing he was not pressed close to some nameless interchangeable body, wishes for Steve.

The kids occasionally come around to the pool, but they are oddly absent on certain days of the week like a schedule. It is three weeks in before Billy finds out why, they spend those days at Steve's house, playing in his private pool. They only ever come to the public one because Steve will not let them swim unsupervised. Billy wishes Steve did not have a private pool so he would have a reason to come to Billy's pool, so he could show off, so he could look.

Billy is closing up the pool for the evening, steam rising up with the last vestiges of the evening sun. He is the only one here, has sent Heather home even though she is supposed to be helping him close, he prefers the quiet of the pool after closing when he is on his own. Billy has only done about half of the nightly duties so far, instead of finishing up the rest he chooses to sit on the end of the diving board, feet hanging in the pool as he sips a beer. He pretends he is back in California, that he can hear the waves and smell the salt, that the water is not tempered so hot and stagnant.

There is a noise and Billy ignores it, it is probably just a stray cat or a raccoon searching for a snack. It comes again and again until Billy cannot ignore it, the noise seems too deliberate, probably some kids fucking about. Billy is supposed to be the only one here, and he already made sure there were not any lingering kids but that noise is coming from the locker rooms.

Billy might not have great control over his magic, might find it hard to interact with it right now but he knows whatever he is going to find will not be good. Dread churns in Billy's stomach, and he should not look, he should just lock up and leave for the night, leave whatever it is for the morning shift. That is the thing though Billy is curious and he has always gone looking for trouble, always itching for a fight, so he goes to investigate.

The lights in the locker room barely do anything to cut away at the dark, mostly the room relies on the high windows to light it during the day. The lights cast a hazy yellowish glow, shadows spreading. 

There is a scratching sound followed by banging from behind him and Billy whirls around. He tries to bring his magic up, tries to force it through the rot that binds him but that rot is stirred to a frenzy and holding tighter than ever. Billy cannot catch sight of whatever it is, whirls around again when there is more scratching, like claws against the tile before more banging.

"You better come out right fucking now, I'm going to kick your ass." Billy shouts angry with this game, on edge with that rots reaction to it, he grabs the closest thing available, a mop, it is not ideal but it will do in a pinch. Billy feels ridiculous, normally his fists would be fine but he gets the feeling that whatever this is that his fists will not be enough, neither will this mop.

A blur shoots out from the shadows and Billy jumps back stumbling and feeling like an idiot when his eyes focus enough to see it is just a rat. Billy gives an angry laugh, annoyed with himself, annoyed with his magic for getting worked up over something so small and insignificant. The laugh dies with a shouted curse as the rat makes another run at him and this time makes contact. 

The thing bites into the flesh of his calf hard and angry, Billy kicks it scrambling back. The rat hits the wall hard, it should definitely be dead. Billy shuffles back farther when it twitches, and keeps twitching until it is rising, it’s beady eyes focused on Billy before it screeches and scurries away back into the shadows.

Something, something definitely is not right here. Billy is almost dizzy as the rot practically floods him stronger than before, and his left calf aches, cold and burning all at once.

-

When Billy wakes up it is not just the rot that will not leave, and nothing he does shakes the other entity. It is vial and much more blood thirsty, almost makes the rot seem genteel by comparison. The rot and this new vial entity together want death and there is nothing Billy can do about it.

He is but a puppet, freezing and sick and being forced into a myriad of tasks he never wanted. It still puts up the pretense, still goes home most nights, still shows up at the pool for his shifts even as the sun starts to hurt and they are forced to huddle under the small umbrella on the lifeguard stand. It is all a ploy to find victims, going for the opportune with some, luring others, using Billy to lure them in, with promises of fun and desires fulfilled that ends in screaming and not the happy kind.

Billy starts to lose count of the bodies after a while, because while they walk around like they are still alive Billy knows they are just puppeted corpses now, all of the bodies start to blend together, there is nothing he can do to stop this. Anytime he tries to ask for help it reaches up inside and takes hold again, killing and adding to the body it is building. Billy is helplessly trapped just going through the motions.

-

He is stalking someone, he thinks, he is not sure who, it is hard to keep track of what he is doing these days, when he has a run in with Max. The entity inside of him is still angry over the little sauna test she and her little friends pulled. Billy manages to pool barely enough of his magic up to keep the monster from killing her and the boy with her preventing it from adding them to the horrid thing it has him building.

He cannot fight it when it sets its sights on Eleven though, a little girl Billy only has a hazy half memories of, some of them are his, others belong to the monster wearing his face. The little girl that has been protecting her friends from Billy, from the thing buried inside of him. Billy does not know what she is, she might be a witch like him but there is something otherworldly about her that goes beyond magic, it does not matter, she is powerful and the mind flyer needs her for its body.

Billy is kneeling before the hulking mass of corpses, chemicals, and rot with El laid prone for its taking when she wakes and then she is talking. It starts with pleading for him not to do this, just like everyone else, and he ignores it just like he ignored everyone else, they mean nothing to Billy buried in his own subconscious. But then she is talking about his mom, about a memory, Billy's memory and he is drawn out, remembers happier times, a time when he truly felt loved. 

It is not just Billy, El, and the monster here, he can feel Max somewhere, can pinpoint her little nerd squad. Steve, Steve is here too and a few others and they are trying to stop this, they are trying to distract the monster, the monster Billy helped build, the monster that has been using him. The reminder of being loved, the hazy memories of Max trying to break him free, of her crying over his pain during the sauna test, El understanding, someone understanding without Billy having to say anything, it all helps him break the tight hold that rot has held over him.

Billy pools all of his magic, pushing his limits and when the mind flyer reaches out Billy stops the tentacle heading for El. Holds it, forces more magic though him, blocking it, it burns through him but he cannot hold it much longer. Suddenly there are more tentacles, and then Billy is being impaled. Billy knows this is the end, he cannot recover from this, he feels his eyes drop, closing as the monster screeches something unholy, the tentacles receding, blood pouring out as Billy's body drops.

-

Billy wakes with a gasp, eyes bright, burning with magic that is not his as it rips through his flesh, his bone, his very soul, branding him as it cleanses. Steve is hunched over him, eyes shining and skin glowing as he funnels magic through Billy healing him. Steve, normal unassuming, Steve is healing him with magic, he has magic, Billy would be ravenous with lust for him if he was nit in shock over not being dead. Billy stares as the glow starts to fade from Steve sees his witches mark, golden scales that dust the contours of his face, before they too fade back into the mask of mundane Steve wears. 

Steve smiles wetly down at Billy, swollen eye and bruised and battered face not diminishing him, somehow that smile is brighter than the shine of magic that Billy can still feel all over his body, inside of him, dancing along his magic healing it too. Steve is saying something, his lips are moving but Billy cannot hear him over the thrum of magic in his veins, thinks it might be chanting. As soon as Steve’s lips stop moving the magic starts to recede and sound starts to filter back in.

Steve pulls away, hands moving from where they were just pressed against Billy's chest right over where that thing had impaled him first, where the worst of the damage was. There is a bloody ragged hole in the center of his shirt but his chest is smooth, the skin scared but healed. Billy grabs Steve before he can get too far away, enthralled by the feel of his magic still thrumming through him.

Then Max is there sobbing into Billy's chest, Max and El are nearly on top of one another at Billy’s side and Steve’s kids and Nancy are all yelling and hovering close by. Billy is not sure if the kid’s shouting has to do with them finding out about magic, Steve bringing Billy back from the dead, or if this is just how they are, it is hard to really catch any specific words when they are all shouting over one another. Billy does not want to loosen his hold but he just died and then was brought back, he is weak and Max has one of his arms, Steve manages to easily slip away. 

Billy wants to call him back, has so many questions and so many wants, because the warmth of Steve magic is the best thing he has ever felt. He wants to ask why, Billy cannot think of a logical reason for why Steve fucking Harrington would not only reveal himself but risk so much to bring Billy back. Steve looks a little faint, like a strong gust of wind could knock him over and Billy wants to be there to catch him, wants to be close to him.

Suddenly he is choking on something, something dark, something burning and vile. He has to push Max out of the way when he hurries to sit up only to bend and puke up a black tar like substance. It stings and it just keeps coming, there is so much just spewing out of him creeping across the floor. When it is finally over Billy feels that vile rot that has been wrapped around him for months finally dissipates with it, El had broken its hold but Steve had forced it to vacate along with any traces of the mind flyer.

"Fuck." Billy hisses throat raw where the lingering magic has not worked over the new damage just caused. The large puddle of tar is moving and Billy scurries back dragging El and Max with him away from it. He feels a weird protectiveness for them, it is foreign, sure he does not want them to get hurt, El had helped him break free long enough to fight the mind flyer, and he has a soft spot for Max that he mostly tries to deny but this is deeper than his own feelings, a burning need to protect them as if nothing else matters.

Steve is suddenly standing in front of them and he is glowing again putting out more magic than Billy has ever seen, just as much as it took to raise him and push the evil from him, and then it surpasses even that. It is a massive amount of magic, the kind of thing that should have already put Steve down for the count but somehow he is standing protecting Billy and the kids and everyone else. The magic radiating from him is warm and golden as Billy reaches out his own weak magic too him, he cannot resist, just wants to feel more of Steve.

Steve bends chanting as he touches the black pool and within seconds the whole thing is burning like cinders in a fire pit, a squelching scream coming from its strange depths. Steve pulls his magic back as it cuts off abruptly and the cinders slowly go out, just a thin layer of ash left in its wake, Billy watches as even that crumbles smaller and smaller until it is gone. Steve sways, has clearly done too much, and then he is tilting and Billy feels a wave of exhaustion washing over him.

Johnathan and Robin are there catching Steve before he can hit the ground with full force, lowering him slowly. He is out breathing deeply in unconsciousness, and then men in suits and lab coats and camo are pouring in. Billy vaguely hears someone hiss about leaving Steve out of an explanation before he is being swarmed by lab coats and scrub donned men and women, El and Max being pushed to the side.

-

Billy lays restless in quarantine for two days just fully healing, Steve healed all the damage to his body and his magic but Billy still blew through every bit of magic he had, it takes time for it to build back up. Billy has not had much time to himself, a constant barrage of doctors and shrinks, and military men trying to explain away things they do not fully understand. No one mentions magic and Billy certainly is not about to, Hawkins is strange enough no one needs the military sniffing around for magic with all of the shit they are already messing with. It is mind numbing and for a bit it distracts him from the phantom feelings.

On the third day Billy is in the shower when a wave of panic hits him, his skin pricks, it feels to hot, his blood suddenly pumping hard and heavy with the feeling. Billy twists the shower knob sending the water icy as he tries to get his bearings, tries to figure out why he suddenly cannot remember how to breath. The thing is, Billy cannot think around it, as he slides to the ground under the icy water, knows something is not right but nothing has triggered him, nothing has set him off. Billy cannot shake the panic even as he rationalizes it, cannot get his body to recognize that he is not worried or afraid. 

Billy lets his head fall between his knees trying to force his body out of this state, when his eyes land on the markings that he is now covered in. Steve’s markings, the markings Steve had branded into Billy with his magic. Billy just stares at them for a long moment before it clicks, before he realizes why he cannot shake this off. Billy is not panicking, but Steve must be, because Steve started a bond when he pulled Billy back from the dead, and now Billy can feel him in a whole new way. 

Billy forces himself up, legs shaky, body still taking cues from Steve’s phantom panic even as Billy tries to force it to cooperate. Billy has not read about bonding magic, not in conjunction with necromancy but he has not read everything, nothing he has read quite compares to the feeling of recognizing someone else's feeling humming in the back of your mind. 

Billy dresses with shaky hands determined to find Steve, he needs to find him and he needs to get him to calm down. Most of all Billy has an intense desire to be assured of Steve's safety. Billy does not like that Steve is upset. Vertigo keeps trying to pull him down but Billy pushes past it, forces his way out the door, thoughts consumed, he needs Steve, needs to, fuck Billy just wants to find him. 

As soon as the door is open one of the nurses is rushing toward him, he pushes her away and stumbles down the hall. His body will not stop responding to Steve's panic, and Billy's own panic that starts to ratchet up when he tries to feel for Steve, to locate him, with his magic and finds nothing. Billy does not make it far, more nurses come rushing and then he is being held down, forced onto a gurney, strapped down a needle burning sleep through his veins.

-

Billy wakes groggily hours later, still strapped down, but the panic is not there anymore. Steve is focused, concentrating on something, determined but he is also relaxed, a little tired, probably still recovering. Billy tries to sense Steve again, angry and a little worried when he comes back with nothing. He knows Steve is alright now but that does not diminish how he feels about not knowing Steve's location. Billy cannot think of a time he has ever sought Steve out with his senses and not been able to find him, has always been able to find him since he first laid eyes on him, drawn.

Billy sends sparks of magic out searching anywhere he can think that Steve might be. Now that he knows what Steve's magic feels like it is easy to find it woven into every barrier Billy has felt around town. Steve did not create the barrier though, Billy can tell, the base magic is too old, been here too long, but Steve is at least helping to maintain it. It works and for a brief few minutes Billy locates Steve, he is outside of his house with one of his kids. As soon as he goes back in Billy's ability to sense him is cut off.

Billy does not like being cut off from Steve, focuses a spark toward the barrier around Steve's house. Old magic that has been secured recently, Billy cannot find a hole. Billy cannot get his magic through it, that does not mean he stops trying. Billy spends the rest of the week trying to find a weak point in that barrier, needing to feel Steve, especially when Steve has bouts of emotions that are so strong they bring forth a physical response in Billy. He does not find one.

-

Billy finally gets to leave today, Max and El have lingered around the hospital a few times, he has even talked to them albeit briefly. The two girls never manage to sneak past his quarantine nurses for long. Billy is about ninety percent sure they have not successfully snuck in even once, he is sure the nurses are just letting them think they have managed to sneak in.

They are not here now though, no a girl Billy vaguely remembers seeing with Steve, is standing before him holding a bag out to him. Robin his mind supplies after a long moment, he knows everyone's names now, in theory at least. El and Max had been informative on some things, while clearly refusing to speak about others. They would not tell Billy anything about Steve and his magic, just that he is held up in that big house of his and has not left since Starcourt.

“What are you doing here?” Billy eyes her suspiciously. He had not really thought about how he was getting home, he figured Max was on top of it. 

"I volunteered to give you a ride home. We need to have a chat, you might want to shower and change first though." Robin scrunches her nose to indicate he smells, which is both untrue and rude but Billy was actually thinking about grabbing a shower and he is happy to find his own clothes and toiletries in the bag so he just flips her off before heading into the shower. 

Robin is waiting for him when he comes out, feet kicked up on his bed flipping through a magazine, as soon as she sees him she tosses it down and walks out. Billy huffs annoyed but curious, he grabs his few belongings from the hospital room that Max has brought him and meets her at a car he recognizes as Steve BMW. Billy is disappointed when he sees it without its owner. Steve is still cooped up in his house behind a barrier Billy cannot get through. 

"What exactly do you and I have to talk about, we've never even met." Billy asks once they are headed down the road.

"Steve."

"Nothing to talk about." Billy gruffs, kicks his boots up onto the dash, they are his old ones a little tight and nearly uncomfortable, all of the clothing he had on at the end had been taken for testing and then burned. 

"You're lying, your magic has been creeping around his house since you got your strength back.” Robin does not look at him, just watches the road, tone unimpressed.

Billy sucks his teeth annoyed, he has tried and tried to breach that barrier, he just wants to feel Steve, to feel his magic, not just the phantom wash of his emotions. Billy is pretty sure Steve is asleep right now, a nice deep sleep, something Billy has not felt him have since he recognized the connection. "What of it." No point lying if she already knows.

"Well you need to knock it off and learn to properly conceal yourself for one. Two I need to know what your intentions are toward Steve." The second part sounds threatening and Billy bristles magic rising, he knows that his witches mark, the pointed curling horns that are normally concealed by magic and his curls, are showing. 

Robin slams on the brakes sending Billy sliding to the front, bending, her own eyes slitting and an early greenish blue glow shining from them. "Put it the fuck away Hargrove before you cause us all more problems. Steve is still weak from bringing your sorry ass back from death and banishing the last of that shit back to the Upside down. He can't handle the strain of you drawing the other side's attention." 

Billy wavers, he is not sure what she is talking about, the military doctors had not exactly been a wealth of information and Max and El had danced around the details. There is a lot he does not know but he does know that he does not want to cause Steve more strain, not the kind that might hurt him, Billy lets his magic settle tucking it away tighter than he normally would consider. "Get to the point." Billy says restlessly, he wants to find Steve, wants to make sure he is sleeping like Billy thinks he is, wants to make sure he is safe.

"First, intentions with Steve.” Robin releases the break and starts driving again.

“So your little coven is what, worried I'm going to take the princess away from you.” Billy hisses, annoyed at her probing, annoyed that he has not laid eyes on Steve since Starcourt.

"There hasn't been a coven in Hawkins in over a decade, the last one was murdered, witches hide here, the upside down reaches out for magic, and corrupts and then kills. None of us even knew the others were witches. You’re the only dumb ass that was spilling magic all over the place like a fucking noob. And for some reason Steve decided to reveal himself for you, that's the only reason any of us know, except the kids, apparently they’ve known since last year. Now your intentions with Steve.”

Billy sucks his teeth again. “Want to feel him, I want to check on him.” It is all Billy is willing to share with her. 

“Because you are obsessed with him.” Robin says with a harsh laugh, Billy bristles magic trying to rise up again but he forces it down. “What I need to know is if you intend to hurt him again.”

Billy sucks in a breath locking his magic tighter as the memory of what he did to Steve’s face flashes in his mind. “I’m not going to hurt him.” It comes out like a growl, angry at himself for losing control, for letting that rot in, for taking his aggressions out on Steve. 

“Good.” Robin nods to herself. “You two dinguses can work everything else out yourselves.” Robin pulls up to a big house, Steve’s house, they are just outside the barrier that has been keeping Billy from feeling Steve. “Now take this.” Robin presses a little figurine into his hand, it has a bad patchy paint job and no details. “Don’t lose that, can’t get in and out without it, it's coded to you, you’re welcome. Now go deal with your and Steve’s shit, I am tired of him pining around the house, worrying about you and if you really are okay, it’s gross and I shouldn’t have to listen to it, you should.” 

“What's gross about it?” Billy asks, glaring at her.

“Billy get out of the car and go admit you want to bone him, his marks haven’t faded, and they would have started by now if you didn’t want them there. You are so obvious and it is gross that I have to listen to him fret and work himself up into a panic over you. If I have to trick him into sleeping one more time I am going to lose my mind. I’m going home for the night, I better not walk in on anything when I come to check on him in the morning.” Robin leans over Billy and opens his door for him leveling him with a pointed stare.

Billy rolls his eyes and gets out, as soon as he does Robin tears out of the driveway leaving Billy just standing there awkwardly. He is sure Steve is still asleep and while he knows Steve needs his sleep, Billy also really needs to see him, needs to touch him. He needs to complete the bond that Steve started when he brought Billy back from death. Billy tests the door handle, feels the magic of the barrier tingle as he touches it. It is unlocked and Billy pushes the door open walking through, the magic washes over him tingling slightly accepting him. 

Billy feels Steve startle awake as he slides through into his safe haven. Billy closes the door and waits, he is not left waiting long before Steve comes stumbling down the stairs. Pretty and rumpled and wearing his fucking mundane glamor, Billy wants to rip it down, but he already knows he cannot, it is so ingrained that if Billy were to try and force it he would probably end up hurting Steve and he does not want to hurt him, not again. 

“Billy?” Steve asks as he stumbles off of the last step, has to grab the banister to keep from tripping, and blinks at Billy like he is surprised to find him here. 

“Hey pretty boy.” Billy licks over his teeth as he makes the short walk across the entryway to Steve.

“What are you doing here?” Steve asks breathy and raspy form sleep, he stumbles back when Billy moves. Billy stops moving when Steve's back is against a wall, feels Steve’s fear spiking in the back of his mind and hates it. 

“Not here to hurt you pretty boy.” Billy gentles his tone, tries for soft, eyes focusing in on the flush that creeps up Steve’s cheeks with the embarrassment he feels spike, followed by a little bout of anger. 

“I’m not afraid of you.” Steve hisses, a little glimpse of his old king Steve persona showing through, Billy is not here to rise to the challenge though.

"Good, you've got no reason to be." Billy lets his magic out, lets it fan out over the space separating them, he knows nothing outside of the barrier protecting Steve's home will feel it. Billy brushes his magic out against Steve, warm and deliberate like a caress. Steve bites into his bottom lip before licking over it, eyes dilating with interest, Billy can feel his interest spike in the back of his mind, he licks over his teeth pleased by the effect he is having on Steve.

"What are you doing here Billy?" Steve licks over his lips again, this time when Billy starts moving closer he does not move.

"Needed to see you, you left your marks all over me." Billy growls, heat wrapping up as he keeps his eyes on Steve who stays lax, waiting to see what Billy will do.

"I was just trying to save you, I didn't know that it would mark you." Billy stops just short of touching as Steve’s eyes track over the visible marks branded into his skin. "I didn't know what I was doing, but it should have faded by now." Steve insists an edge to his voice that tells Billy he has had to explain this more than once since Starcourt.

"I know." Billy shifts closer until they are nearly touching, the space between them heated, Billy's magic keeps caressing over Steve.

"Billy?" Steve's voice is more of a squeak. Billy can read him easily this close even without being able to feel him in his mind. Steve is worried but interested, definitely interested, and Billy licks over his teeth grinning, Steve's eyes tracking the movement. 

"You left your marks all over me." Billy repeats one palm pressing flat against the wall to the left of Steve's head the other one sliding over Steve's jaw. "Now you're going to let me return the favor."

Steve blinks confused, a little hopeful, tongue peeking out wetting his lips and Billy wants to suck it into his own mouth. "Billy?" 

Billy sighs at the confusion he feels coming from Steve, leans forward until he can press his lips to the corner of his jaw. "Come on pretty boy we both know you want me to, I can feel it, you bound us together let me finish the connection." Billy does not normally ask for things, makes demands but the bond Steve has started cannot be forced, he could let it fade away, over time it would just look like normal scars.

Billy does not want that though, he latches on wanting what it offers, what it can mean. Steve has to let him finish it or the marks will fade though and there will be nothing Billy can do to stop it. Billy really wants him to say yes right now, wants to sear his own marks into Steve's skin.

"Billy you have to know–" 

Billy cuts him off. "I know what it means." Billy growls he is not stupid he might leak magic all over the place like an asshole but that is because he is a show off even when he does not realize he is trying to do it. He still has read all of the books he could get his hands on, he knows his stuff.

"No it's not as simple as this bind." Steve bites his bottom lip, face coloring with shame and Billy can feel it overriding everything else Steve feels, feels his own skin flush with it.

"Come on pretty boy tell me what you need, so we can get on with it." Billy urges trying to be patient, trying to push past whatever is in Steve's way, his fingers are still stroking playfully along Steve's skin.

"We can't do this. I can't leave Hawking for more than a few days ever, I can't even leave the state, and if we did this, if we finished the bond you'd be bound to the same rules." Steve cuts his eyes away, tone sad and resigned and Billy is just confused.

"That isn't a thing, you started this, why are you trying to stop it now." Billy has anger trying to well up, God he is always so angry, always so ready to fight even without that rot egging him on. It does not help that he can feel Steve’s irritation, his unease. 

"Billy I'm cursed." That helps to quell his initial anger, but now he is angry at whoever has cursed Steve and confused because he cannot think of anyone who would want to curse Steve. Billy may have done some reading on curses just in case he ever felt like enacting one. And because he has an insatiable need for knowledge. Cursing someone is not easy, especially a curse that binds someone to a place which is why they are not done. 

"What could you have possibly done to piss someone off so bad?" Billy is gentle as he gets both hands on Steve's face drawing him up to meet his eyes. 

"I didn't." Those sad lonely eyes drag Billy in threatening to drown him, he can feel the hollowness Steve feels, knows those eyes do not depict how lonely and sad he truly is. "It's my mom's curse, she bound her soul to a vampire, her coven cursed her to be trapped here, and to keep the upside down at bay as punishment."

“So where do you come in?” Billy does not like the feeling creeping in the back of his mind, the self-hating dread that fogs around his mind. 

“She was blood and magic bound, I’m of her blood.” Billy sucks in a breath, has a feeling he knows where this is going and does not like it. “She seduced my father and had me so she could eventually leave.”

“And her coven?” Billy asks but he remembers Robin mentioning there had not been a coven here in over a decade, that they had been murdered, and it is easy to figure it out. “She killed them.”

“With the help of her vampire lover, they couldn’t stop her if she killed them first. They managed a temporary bind on my magic beforehand though, so she still had to wait.” Steve’s hand rises absentmindedly scratching at his neck and Billy feels a sudden flash of pain as Steve hisses pulling his hand away. 

“Tell me the rest. Tell me what I need to know.” Billy insists, tone soft and earnest, Steve bites his lip hesitating before he finally continues.

“The year before you came to Hawkins, it broke and they left. The only things she taught me was a glamor and a shaky knowledge of how to maintain the barrier, it was weakened in her absence, I didn’t know what I was doing and now there are cracks. Everything that has happened is my fault.” Steve is a wash of sorrowful responsibility. 

“Pretty sure that isn’t true pretty boy.” Billy says the tip of his nose brushing Steve’s. “Pretty sure your mom and the government all have pretty big hands in it, not to mention that fucking monster from the upside down. I know no one blames you, they’d be stupid to.” If Billy finds out otherwise, he will be sure to knock some sense into them. 

“But–” Billy cut Steve off with his mouth, he does not want to hear Steve blame himself. Steve startles tenses with surprise, as Billy slides his tongue into his mouth. Billy slides a hand down, makes sure his fingers are gentle as they cup the back of Steve's neck trying not to hit whatever invisible spot is sensitive, it does not work, he feels a flash of pain and quickly drops his hand to Steve’s waist instead. Steve relaxes and then Billy is not the only one participating in the kiss, arms curling around Billy’s shoulders and fisting in the back of his shirt. 

Billy does not pull back until they are both breathless. “Come on pull your glamour down, I want to feel you.” Billy knows he sounds desperate but he cannot fucking help it, he needs to feel all of Steve, needs to complete the bond. Billy does not even care that if they do this he will not be able to leave Hawkins, he will not need to, not if he has Steve. 

“You are literally still pressed against me.” Steve says with an eye roll, tone wavering as that unease tries to set in again. 

“And I am not about to move, I know what happens if I complete the bond pretty boy and I still want it, now show me what you got. I want to feel your magic again, come one, let me touch it, I’ll be nice. Want to see your marks again, come on pretty boy, I died for your kids.” Billy needles, fingers tightening on Steve’s hips.

Steve scoffs “I brought you back.”

“And that’s damn impressive, pretties witches marks I’ve ever seen, come on, I’ll give you a close up look at mine, if you show me yours.” Billy rasps, drags his mouth across Steve’s cheek where he remembers the marks being. Billy groans as Steve suddenly drops his glamor and Billy can feel all of him, can touch all of him, no barrier between them other than their clothes. 

Billy pulls back just enough to let his eyes really get a good look at Steve’s witches mark as he lets them show. They look like flecks of golden iridescent, what Billy imagines a dragon's scales might look like if they still existed. Billy slides his tongue over them with purposeful intent, over Steve’s cheeks, his jaw, stops suddenly as his eyes catch on the scars on Steve’s neck. Bite marks, vampire marks, he has a sick feeling. 

Steve hums distracted, clearly wondering why Billy stopped, fingers dancing along Billy’s back. Billy feels him shift, feeling going from lustful anticipation to shameful dread that has Billy’s magic bubbling up in anger. Billy’s magic remains soft where it presses against Steve, even as it wants to seek and destroy. 

Steve’s throat works as Billy continues to stare darkly at the marks, someone else's marks, and it is not just that someone has marked him, it is that Billy can tell how much Steve hates them, knows he did not get them willingly. Billy wonders why Steve has not tried to heal them before he puts the pieces together, Steve never healed any of his injuries Billy or anyone else has ever caused him to Billy’s knowledge, the only reason he would not is because he cannot. Billy has a thought of what that means, but Steve’s spiraling emotions pull him back to the here and now, to not letting him spiral further. 

“Want me to hunt him down? Put a stake through his heart?” It does not really matter what Steve’s answer is Billy already knows if he ever meets the vampire responsible for the patch work of scars across Steve’s neck that is exactly what he is going to do. They are messy and from Steve’s hisses of pain when his neck is touched Billy knows they are still painful. Billy has spent time around vampires before, knows it was deliberate, intentional pain.

“Get in line.” Steve scoffs, eyes cutting away, Billy feels him, pleased at Billy’s offer. 

“If I could heal I would fix these for you.” Billy says, has every intention of trying his hand at it even though he has never managed to heal anything in his life, destruction has always been Billy’s strong suit. Billy kisses one of the less brutal ones, touch feather soft, Steve still hisses, but the correlating spike of pain Billy feels is light and swarmed with heat. 

“Robin said she might be able to heal them some.” Steve groans when Billy gives another soft kiss to another set of fang marks, hand sliding into Billy’s curls gripping. Billy huffs, hot breath ghosting across Steve’s neck, feels a flicker of annoyance curling up his spine at the idea of anyone else’s magic touching Steve.

“I’ll figure it out.” Billy grumbles dropping his mouth to Steve collar bone, mouthing at it through his pastel polo.

“What?” Steve asks head leaned back as he tugs at Billy’s curls again.

“Get your hands on my horns, want you to touch them.” Billy says instead of telling him what he said, butting his horns gently against Steve’s chin.

“You looked like a demon when you were facing the mind flyer.” Steve whispers tone reverent, fingers sliding over Billy’s horns, his curls only hide a small section of them, they are long and curl gently back. Billy wonders if Steve will hold onto them while he sucks him off. Billy does not usually let people see his witches mark, has never had anyone other than his mother touch them. This is nothing like that, this is going straight to his dick.

Billy is barely thinking as he starts working at Steve’s belt.

“Billy, what are you doing?” Steve asks, hands tightening on Billy’s horns.

“Getting you naked, we're going to complete this bond right now.” Billy says like it is obvious, raising his face to look at Steve when Steve pulls at his horns with purpose.

“The bond doesn’t require nudity.” Steve chokes out, startled, Billy can feel his confusions, it is starting to edge at his lust. 

“Not the way you did it. Nothing saying we can’t finish it that way.” Billy insists, tossing Steve’s belt behind him as he finally gets it off.

“We are not performing sex magic.” Steve insists eyes wide.

“Why not?” Billy huffs, he knows Steve wants him, just as much as Billy wants him, it should not be this complicated.

“Well one I hardly know anything about sex magic.” Steve reasons and Billy just laughs.

“I’ll teach you everything you need to know.” Billy leers, it is Billy’s favorite form of ritual magic.

“TWO, I am not sleeping with you.” Steve pushes against Billy’s chest, he resists for half a second before he allows himself to be moved back a few inches.

“Why not, I know you want to.” Billy asks annoyed, he never has to work this hard to get his dick wet.

“We barely know each other.” Steve insists and Billy can feel how important Steve thinks that is.

“We have the rest of our lives for getting to know each other.” Billy tries to reason. They will literally be bound together after all. Billy gets up close to Steve again pressing him against the wall, nose against the hinge of his jaw.

“I’m not sleeping with you. We haven’t even been on a date.” Billy can tell Steve is not going to budge on this.

“You need some wining and dining.” Billy sighs, breath hot against Steve’s cheek. “Alright pretty boy, I suppose I can do that, you did break a lot of magical laws to revive me.”

“I did?” Steve squeaks out alarmed eyes going wide.

“Yeah necromancy is frowned upon. Don’t worry I won’t tell if you don’t.” Billy assures nuzzling against Steve’s cheek ignoring the panic that is not his trying to set in as Steve gets distracted trying to spiral into a freak out.

“Necro whatsy?”

“Necromancy, never heard of it?” Billy pulls back to get a look at Steve’s face, sees the absolute confusion and the shifty panicky eyes and huffs again, Steve really does not know jack about the absolute power he wielded to bring Billy back. 

“No.” Steve huffs relaxing a little distracted by Billy’s fingers stroking over his fingers, twining them together.

“Well aren't you something.” Steve unassuming Steve doing Necromancy without any prep or any know how, just pure desire, Billy is a little light headed with the thought of having that kind of power at his fingertips, it is hard to imagine. “We’ll figure it all out later pretty boy, for now, let's get back to finishing our bond.” Billy leans down just enough to drag Steve over his shoulder.

“I said I wasn’t going to sleep with you today.” Steve shouts hands scrambling for perches on Billy’s back.

“Which is why we are going to finish it the boring way, now where do you keep all of your supplies, we are going to need some things.” Billy feels Steve’s emotions go from shocked surprised, too pleased and happy. Steve’s voice is just as pleased as he directs Billy toward the basement. 

Billy’s magic hums with his own satisfaction, feeling more settled than it ever has before as it wraps around Steve and his magic. Billy knows it will only get better once they complete the bond, and he can get to work on wooing Steve, they may have the rest of their lives but Billy is still making that a priority. 

**-End**

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> https://ghostofjellyfishforgotten.tumblr.com/


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